Binnacle-lamp and connections.



A. S. CAMPBELL.

BINNACLB LAMP AND CONNECTIONS,

APPLIUATION FILED JUNE 14, 1910.

1,05,032. Patented Apr. 8, 1913 i l alo 1S. C'miaell.

ALPHONSO S. CAMPBELL, 0F MEDFOBI), MASSACHUSETTS.

BINNACLE-LAMP AND CONNECTIONS.

- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr'. 81, 1913.

Application l'ed June 14, 1910. Serial No. 566,755.

To zZZ 'whom it may concern A Be it known that I, ALPHoNso S. CAMP- BEnL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Medford, in the county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Binnacle-Lamps and Connections, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanylng drawings, is a specification, 'like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

and

ships compass with economy of light and power.

The character of the invention Vmay -be best understood by reference to the follow# ing description. of `an illustrative embodi; ment thereof shown in the accompanyingv drawings, wherein:

equipped with an electric lamp and connec-l tions embod ing myv invention;.F ig. 2, on: an enlarge scale, -is a vertical sectionE through the lamp and its connections;"and Fig. 3 isl a View looking toward therightfrom line 5 5 of Fig. 2. Referring to the drawings, in Fig. 1 is, shown a binnacle comprising a box .1 of usual construction having in its after sidej an inclined window 2 yfor disclosing a mari' ners compass@ 3- which may be' mounted' within the binnacle in the usual manner.

Heretofore, so faras I am aware,'binI nacles have been usually light-ed by oillamps placed within the binnacle and ar-.j ranged to diffuse their light throughout they interior thereof. Such an oil lamp is" objectionable for many reasons. Among: others it is apt to smell bad, does not' givel 'a steady light and must be kept lighted throughout the night. Furthermorea light generally distributed throughout the' -in= terior ofthe binnacle causes objectionable; lreflections from the compass to the eye ofi the observer which renders the reading of the compass diiiicult and uncomfortable.

By myinvention the above and other ob jections are eliminated by `an electric lamp, provided with means fon directingor focus-i .lng its light directly on to the compass without illuminating the entire interior of the binnacle and. without the objectionable reflections referred to. To this end lthe light-v electrical connections therefor andv among other objects aims to provide an elec- 1 tric lamp for effectively illuminating theis mounted inthe binnacle above the compass and in one of the side walls thereof, preferably sov that the center ofthe light will be equal distances to one side of the center of the compass and above the latter.

Herein is shownan incandescent lamp 5 having a base 7 threaded into -a socket 9 of brass or other suitable conductive material having a flange l1 which may be secured by screws 13 to a bell shaped casing'l This invention relatesvto binnacle lamps herein of brass said casing in turn being secured. by screws 17 to an exterior wall of the binnacle. To direct the light from the lamp 5, on to the compass, said lamp may be inclosed in a bulb-like hood 19 having an inhood terminating in a cylindrical portion 21 adapted to be slid on to the socket 9 and be held in its posit-ions of adjustment by a suitable set screw 23vthreaded into. said bell terior surface of reflecting material, said casing 15. To magnify the light coming`v Figure 1 is a perspective of a binnacle- 9 thev lens will be caused to approach ort .recede from the lamp more or less to focus or direct ytheV rays of light laterally on to the face of the compass as shown inFig. 1. As a result the rays extending from the flected objectionably into the eyes-of the observer and will provide just enough light placed only where necessary. This localizlaterally positioned lamp will not be re- '5' 'v be suiiiciently illuminated with a mmimum l.low yvoltage and amperage thereby providing a light of maximum efficiency and economy. By thus localizing and magnifyingthe light the c urrent,required is so small' that it does not disturb' the compassl needle. One ofthe great object-ions encountered in the use of electrical devices in marine work consists in the corroding action which the salt air has upon electrical contact surfaces. This corrosive action destroys the brightness of the contacting parts and as a result diminishes the -eliciency .of electrical v equipment if not entirely incapacitating the same. One of the 'principal objects of my inventionv is to provide an electrical make and break connection for said lamp whereby the contacting surfaces are always maintained bright and clean without the objecing of the light and the magnifying thereof 90 tions referred to. Herein 'this connection comprises a contact carrying socket conveniently formed by a sleeve 27 of insulation material tightly fitted into a counterbore in the socket 9 referred to. Within this sleeve is a disk 29 of insulating material carrying a contact pin 31 having a head for engagement with a contact in the lamp base 7 when the latter is screwed into the socket, and a pointed end for a purpose hereinafter described. The other socket contact herein comprises a spring pressed catch 33 mounted in a cup 34 of conductive material positioned transversely to the sleeve 27 and adapted to be projected through an aperture 35 in the latter. Coperating With the contact carrying socket described is a contact carrying plug 37 cylindrical in its general form and comprising a small central tube contact 39. of brass or other suitable conductive material adapted to receive the pin contact 31 referred to. To cause this tube intimately to engage said pin said tube may be split at its upper end to provide for eX- pansion on the entrance of said pin therein. The opposite end of said tube may be soldered or otherwise secured to a Wire 4l leading to a batte-ry, magneto or other suitable source of elect-ricity. Encircling the tube contact described is a second contact 42 also of tubular form and sufficiently large to permit the introduction of a rubber or other insulating sleeve 43 between said tubes. A. Wire' 45 may be soldered or otherwise secured to an end of this contact and led to the battery orother suitable source of electricity.

'The large tube contact is inclosed by a coating 47 of-rubber or other insulating material f With the exception of a portion of said tube.

This portion is thickened as at 48 to extend outwardly with a thickness' ual to the insulation coating 47, thereby orming a cyiindrical end of the plug which Will present an external surface partially of conductive and partially of non-conductive material. This cylinder is of a proper diameter accurately to fit in the socket sleeve 27. To lock the plug in the socket the former is provided With 'a circumferential groove 49 having a straight vvalll and anxinclin'ed Wall. When the plug is inserted in the socket, a beveled end of the catch 33, referred to,.Will ride over the end ofthe plug and under the' action of its spring Will seat itself back of a shoulder of the flange 50 formed by the circumferential groove in said plug. lWhen in this position it Will be apparent that withdrawal of the plug from said socket Will be prevented. To prevent a circuit breaking separation of the plugand socket prior to a relative wiping movement of said parts the plug may only be With-1 tive portion thereof.- Then the plug has been turned to bring it in such position, to permit its 'Withdrawal the non-conductive coating of said plug may be slabbed off as at 51 presenting a tlat face in line With the base of the circumferential groove ofthe plug so that when the plug is in a position With the catch opposite its flat face the straight edge of the catch may readily Wipe over the end of the plug Without hindrance to the Withdrawal of the latter. Thus it will be seen that each time the plug is separated from the socket said plug must irst be turned to cause the catch to wipe or rub past the conductive portion of said plug in order that the latter may be brought into a position to bring its non-conductive portion in alinement With said catch and with itsflat face 5l in alinement with said catch. The constantl wiping of the groove and catch contacts and the pin and hollow tube contacts past one another made necessary each time that the plug is detached or each time that the lamp is turned on or olf maintains the contacting surfaces constantly clean and bright vinsuring an eective electrical connection irrespective of the corroding action of the salt air. y1`he plug may be inclosed by a housing 53 of rubber or other suitable material which may have a knurled periphery 54 to facilitate the turning of said plug for'making and breaking the circuit. To

'prevent the Wires connected to the plug contacts and thenl the insulating coating 47 may be formed or molded around said Wires and pressed into intimate engagement there- 'with so that when the coating hardens it may nip the insulation of said Wires and prevent Withdrawal from said housing. As shown herein the current on the Wire 41 may pass fromthe central small tube plug contact to the socket pin contact 31 through a contact in engagement with the head of said pin projecting into the lamp and connected to the lament of the latter. rlhe current in returning may pass through the lamp base to the socket 9 thence through the catch recess to the catch 33, thence to the thickened, exposed portion of the larger tube contact, of the plug to the other'ivire 45. It will be ico understood that if desired instead of return- Y' mounted therein,

merely necessary tol give the knurled plug a slight turn to complete the circuit tothe lamp. w' l .Havihg described one embodiment of my invention Without limiting myself thereto What I claim as iiew and desire to secureby Letters Patentl is:

The combination of a casing, a compass a housing for external attachment to said casing, a detachable contact connection for said housing, an electric lamp adapted for power su-iiiciently small to avoid disturbing the needle of the compass, a hood projecting from said housing into said casing and formed to receive said lamp and localize the light thereof to said compass, and a lens in said hood for magnifying said light sufficiently to permit a ready visualization of i, the compass, said hood having provision permitting the adjustment thereof relatively to. its housing to vary the location of the light.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name toV this specification, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

ALPHONSO S. CAMPBELL.

'HENRY T. WILLIAMS, ROBERTH. KAMMLER. 

